


hazel or green

by frozensight



Series: dreamin' about what we could be [1]
Category: Nova (Comics), The Amazing Spider-Man (Movies - Webb), Ultimate Spider-Man (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-17
Updated: 2015-02-17
Packaged: 2018-03-10 05:11:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3277982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frozensight/pseuds/frozensight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Peter Parker hates Christmas.</p><p>Okay maybe <i>hate</i> is a bit strong, but it's <i>really</i> close.</p>
            </blockquote>





	hazel or green

**Author's Note:**

> What do you do when you're working on a long au fic? Write another fic. This is the product of me wanting to write a short, cute Christmas/New Year's spideynova, but then it spiraled and became something else and about three times as long as intended.
> 
> There will be a companion piece from Sam's POV coming at some point.

There are few things that Peter Parker hates more than Christmas.

Okay, that's an exaggeration because there are  _a lot_  of things he hates more than Christmas—student loans, Dr. Lamaze's exams, and New York City cabs being three things just off the top of his head—but he really could do without Christmas seeping into every aspect of life as December approaches.

To be fair, he didn't _use_ to mind it.

Christmas was great when he was a kid. He lived with his parents and they'd open presents and watch Christmas specials and eat a Christmas ham. Then the Accident happened, and Peter went to live with his Aunt and Uncle. Christmas was fine with Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Uncle Ben would always let Peter put the star on the tree and Aunt May would let him help make snickerdoodles and they'd eat dinner while watching  _It's a Wonderful Life_. But...then Uncle Ben died, and now Christmas just isn't the same. There's too many ghosts lurking around the Christmas tree, and even the idea of presents can't get Peter happy about the holiday anymore. Aunt May used to try and keep Christmas traditions, saying it's what Uncle Ben would've wanted, but since Peter started college, she's let more and more things go undone. They just seem kind of pointless when it's just the two of them. They still watch  _It's a Wonderful Life_ though.

Regardless of all of that, Harry still insists on dragging Peter to a Christmas party every year, even though all Peter ends up doing is hanging around on the outskirts of the party, slowly drinking a beer or two until either Harry's had enough or Peter gets tired and leaves. Harry says it's just a matter of time and circumstance before he enjoys Christmas again. Peter's unconvinced that this party will be any better than the previous ones.

"But it  _will_  be different, Pete! Besides, I told MJ you were coming and she's really excited to finally meet you; you  _have_  to come!"

Peter rolls his eyes behind the book he's reading. He's doing some preemptive studying for finals in the library while Harry's doing some last minute coercing. "She could literally meet me any other time; I don't see why her first impression of me has to be 'bored out of my mind'."

"Come on, Pete. I know Christmas is a crap time for you, but this party is seriously going to be great! You could maybe even meet someone. I know MJ invited that Stacy girl you've been eyeing." Harry pushes Peter's book away from his face so that his best friend would meet his eyes. " _Tell me_ you don't want a chance to talk to this girl."

"I do want the chance—" Harry grins. "—but I would rather have that chance _after_ the holidays. I'm sorry, Harry, but I really don't want to go."

"Fine. Be a Scrooge. But just because I'm saying you don't have to come doesn't mean MJ won't take it upon herself to force you there."

 

 

Peter snorts as he continues reading his book. "Yes because I'm going to let your new girlfriend of two months strong-arm me into going to her frivolous Christmas party."

Harry just smirks at him, leaning back in his chair. "You don't know how persistent MJ can be."

"She can't be any worse than you. Now shut up, I'm trying to study."

\-----

Turns out Mary-Jane Watson is like a dog with the biggest, juiciest bone it's ever seen and literally refuses to give up, which will make her an amazing journalist one day and is how Peter finds himself standing by the food table at her party, watching a bunch of people he doesn't know dancing on what is being called the dance floor. The couple times he's caught glimpses of Harry, his best friend has only managed to send him a smile or a thumb's up before being whisked away by Mary-Jane to meet another one of her friends. When he'd arrived, awkwardly holding the bottle of champagne Mary-Jane had told him to pick up, she'd introduced him to Gwen Stacy, who'd smiled at him as they shook hands. They chatted for only a few minutes, discussing whether Lamaze should even be allowed to teach on a collegiate level, before she excused herself. He'd watched as she walked away to talk with some other guy—Peter wasn't sure, but it looked like Flash Thompson, the quarterback of Empire State University's football team **—** and he figured that was that and resigned himself to trying and failing to enjoy the party by himself.

So far, as loathe as he is to admit it, it hasn't been completely awful. Sure, he's a little bored and knows basically no one, but the conversations he's been overhearing have been fairly amusing. One group discussed the pros and cons of mistletoe, while another group argued about who had had the worst family Christmas. Besides Harry and sometimes Mary-Jane, the only person he's made eye contact with is Gwen, who smiles at him when their eyes meet, but otherwise makes no move to come talk to him again. He's just restless enough to start slowly walking around instead of standing, but still apprehensive enough that he picked up another beer to avoid actually joining a conversation.

He finishes making a trip around the room, ending up back by the food table and facing the dance floor, when he realizes he's not the only one avoiding social contact. At the other end of the table stands a guy who looks as reluctant to be there as Peter feels. His eyes rove around the room as he drinks from a cup slowly, and Peter makes sure to avert his gaze before the guy's eyes point in Peter's direction. When he feels sufficient time has passed for him to look again, one glance informs Peter that he's not waited long enough as the guy is definitely staring at  _him_  now. Peter lets a couple minutes pass before he looks again, only to find that the guy is, if anything, staring more intently. Their eyes meet this time, and the guy gives him a sly grin, as if they were sharing some kind of joke.

Peter's not sure what possesses him to take a step forward, but there's something about the amused expression on the guy's face that has Peter wanting to either punch him or kiss him—which is something he'd never actively thought about anyone before, much less another guy, but Peter's open-minded and buzzed enough to go with it—and at the very least he feels like he needs to know his name. He pauses for a moment halfway down the food table to grab another beer and when he looks back up, and it's into Gwen's blue eyes instead of the hazel or green of Random Party Guy #1. He smiles at her and she smiles back, holding out a shot to him.

"What's this for?" he asks as he takes it, his eyes focusing on the way hers aren't leaving him a lot like the guy he'd been playing eye tag with across the table.

Gwen shrugs, the corners of her lips turning into a small grin. "You were looking kinda pathetic, standing over here by yourself not doing anything, so I figured I'd come keep you company."

Peter chuckles as he downs the shot, his eyes briefly glancing behind Gwen to the guy, who has gone back to observing the party, though he seems to be frowning a bit now. He sets the shot glass down on the table and faces Gwen. "Well I wouldn't mind the company at all, as long as you don't mind suffering my presence."

She laughs, and Peter finds himself grinning at the sound. "Should I be wary of your presence, Mr. Parker?"

"Only if you can't stand people who prefer Star Trek over Star Wars."

"I will tread carefully then."

\-----

The day after the party, Peter wakes up with a text from Harry asking about how the party went for him and a text from Gwen telling him good morning. He grins, replying to Gwen's text first before firing off a quick 'tell you later' to Harry before rolling away from the sunlight and falling back asleep.

\-----

Two weeks later sees the end of the semester, and the beginning of winter break. Peter receives five A's and a B on his finals, which he celebrates with Gwen. Apparently Gwen and Mary-Jane roomed together during their first two years of college and, according to Harry, Mary-Jane is plotting for them all to go on a double date after break, even though Gwen and Peter have both said they're just friends.

"It'll be  _fine_ ," Gwen insists as they sit at a small table in a cafe, drinking coffee after a movie.

Peter levels her with a look. "Gwen, we aren't even dating, how can we go on a double date with an actual couple?"

"If anything, we can take this as a chance to prove we're only friends."

"And if they still don't believe us?"

"Then we'll have to actually find people to date so they will. At least this way, MJ won't be playing matchmaker."

He shudders. "I can only imagine how scary she is in full blown matchmaking mode."

Gwen rolls her eyes, but she's grinning. "She's harmless." Peter gives her an unconvinced look. " _Mostly_  harmless. Anyway, we have her New Year's Eve party to start looking for people."

He groans, his head hanging for a moment before he smirks up at her. "At least this time I'll have a dependable wingman."

She smacks him lightly on the shoulder. "Excuse you, wing _person_."

\-----

Sometimes, in the middle of the night, Peter would stare up at the ceiling of his dorm room and think about the guy from the party. He still wishes he'd learned his name, if only so he had something to call him in his mind. He could probably ask Mary-Jane about him. It was her party after all, but then he'd have to explain why he wants to know the name of a guy he never even talked to but rather only had a somehow significant eye exchange just before actually talking with Gwen—who she thinks is his girlfriend.

He tried doing some research on his own, but there isn't a convenient yearbook for him to peruse and there's only so many people's faces he can stare at while walking around campus before he gets some sort of reputation as 'that weird guy who gawks at people'. The only chance he ever has of randomly encountering the guy again is at Mary-Jane's next party, and Peter's not one hundred percent sure what to do with how excited that makes him feel.

\-----

Christmas feels different this year, even though it overall remains the same as it always has. He texts Gwen periodically through the day—Harry's busy with Mary-Jane's family so Peter doesn't mind his radio silence—and May keeps smiling wider and wider as he helps her get the food ready for dinner. He doesn't say anything to her until after he sets his phone down after responding to Gwen and catches her staring at him, looking happier than he can remember seeing her in a while.

"Do I have something on my face, Aunt May?"

"No, Peter, it's just nice seeing you happy."

He gives her a look, temporarily ignoring his vibrating phone. "When have I recently not been happy?"

May shrugs as she turns off the oven timer and takes out the apple pie. "It's not that you haven't been happy this year, but rather that you're happy  _today_. I haven't seen you smile like this since the last Christmas with Ben."

That causes him to stop and think over the last few Christmases and it shocks him to realize that she's right. Then it makes him figure out why that is.

"She's good for you," May says as she pats Peter's cheek, "Anyone with eyes can see that."

Peter's not sure why, but he flashes back to the guy at the party, when he glanced behind Gwen to see him frowning slightly. He wonders if even that guy, with his hazel or green eyes of some kind of potential something hiding in them, had also seen it, and if that's why he didn't try to approach him again—even though he would've been mistaken along with Mary-Jane and Harry about how Peter and Gwen's 'relationship' would go. He shakes his head and replies to a second text from Gwen—her brothers have finally been kicked off the xbox and the family is settling down to watch _It's A Wonderful Life_  as per Stacy tradition—before he faces May again. She's still smiling at him, yet she herself seems distracted. He wants to tell her that he and Gwen aren't actually dating—they're just  _friends_ damnit—but his gut tells him now isn't the time.

"I'll go find a station playing a good selection of Christmas songs," he says as he backpedals out of the kitchen.

If he happens to stay out of the kitchen for ten minutes after fiddling with the stereo's radio and settling on a station, then that's only because he got preoccupied quoting the movie back and forth with Gwen. It certainly isn't because he saw the shimmer in his aunt's eyes that meant she was thinking of Ben and how much she wished he could be there.

\-----

"You're both coming tomorrow, right?"

Harry gives Mary-Jane a toothy grin before pressing a chaste kiss to her mouth. "Pete and I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Peter does what's expected of him—he complains about the party, about how if it wasn't for Gwen going he wouldn't be either, about how he  _hates_  parties—but really he can't help but actually look forward to it. Not only would he be hanging out with Gwen for the first time since before they both went home for the holidays, but he'd have his second chance at finding out whether that guy's eyes were hazel or green—and you know, maybe even his name.

\-----

It's harder than he thought, trying to scan the room for The Guy while not letting on to Gwen that he's looking for a specific person already. Outside of Harry, Mary-Jane, and her, he still doesn't actually know anyone there—not anyone that he'd want to talk to, anyway. He thinks he's been subtle so far when Gwen rests a hand on his arm and asks, "Peter, who are you looking for?"

"Huh? I'm not looking for anyone." Peter meets her eyes and tries to act like he's not still trying to use his peripherals to search the dance floor. "Why would you ask that?"

She snorts, drinking her beer as she turns around to face the crowd. "Oh, maybe because you've been fidgety as hell since we arrived, and you keep staring over me instead of at me." Spinning back around, Gwen raises her eyebrows at him. "So who are you looking for, Peter Parker?"

He falls silent. It's not that he doesn't trust Gwen with the knowledge of 'hey I'm looking for a guy I might have had something with if not for you approaching me at the last party,' it's more he just doesn't know how to breach the topic of him possibly being into guys. Her eyebrows furrow a bit as she waits for an answer, and he opens his mouth to try, when across the room he sees him—Hazel-or-Green. Peter's not sure, but he thinks he makes some kind of strangled gurgling noise when he finds him. He's not pointing, but his eyes are focused enough that Gwen follows his gaze to where Hazel-or-Green is casually talking with someone.

"I didn't think you knew Sam, Peter. He doesn't exactly run in the same academic circles as you."

"I don't, didn't, don't..." Peter glances back to Gwen, who's starting to grin at him which doesn't bode well. "Wait, his name is Sam?"

"Yeah, why?" He can feel his cheeks growing hot and he doesn't want to look back at Hazel-or-Green— _Sam—_ but maintaining eye contact with Gwen right now feels like being bare-ass naked. "Peter?"

"I, um... _shit_." Sam catches Peter's gaze, and has started making his way over to them. "Fuck fuck _fuck_."

Gwen looks up, sees that Sam's approaching, and gives Peter the most intense 'cat eating the canary' look he's ever seen. He wants to tell her 'no, it's not like that,' but he's too busy freaking out about Hazel-or-Green—damnit,  _Sam—_ walking towards them.

"Hey Sam, how was your Christmas?" She greets him coolly, and Peter admires her ability to adapt to even the most awkward situations. Meanwhile, he flounders to even close his mouth.

"It was okay; Kaelynn almost burned my return ticket though. Mom says I should skype with her more." He turns so he's facing both Gwen and Peter, but he's still just addressing her. "So how'd yours go?"

"Oh, you know how my brothers can get; they hogged the tv playing video games the whole time." Both of them laugh, and Peter isn't sure why exactly there's a pit in his stomach.

He eventually manages to close his mouth though, just in time for Sam to face him directly. "Hey, sorry, we've never met—I'm Sam Alexander. I've had a couple of classes with Gwen."

"Peter Parker. Boy friend." His mouth is dry as he speaks, and he hopes that Sam doesn't try to shake his hands because he doesn't think his palms have ever been so sweaty in his life. "I mean friend who is a boy. Gwen's friend."

Sam raises one eyebrow and his mouth quirks up a bit. "Got it." He finally tears his eyes away from Peter. "Anyway, I just wanted to say hi since we haven't gotten a chance to speak outside of Facebook since before break."

"We really should get coffee sometime and catch up." She slips one of her arms around Peter's and grins. "Maybe I'll drag Peter with me so you two can properly meet."

That makes Sam laugh again, and Peter definitely does  _not_  lean on Gwen in order to remain standing because that would imply that Sam's laugh made him weak at the knees and that was just impossible, improbable, and in general very much Not Good. Sam mumbles his goodbyes and then walks back over to where he'd been, resuming whatever conversations he'd had over there, and only occasionally glancing back at Gwen (and Peter).

Gwen tugs Peter down by his arm so she can whisper in his ear. "You need to explain, and explain  _now,_  Peter Parker. Because that was the most embarrassing train wreck I've ever watched."

Instead of facing her, he twists so that he can bury his face into her neck, conveniently avoiding eye contact with anyone. "Trust me—I'd tell you if I understood it myself."

"There, there, you poor possibly bisexual nerd." Gwen pats his head gently, and Peter wants nothing more than to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge.

\-----

It's the first time that Peter actually rings in the new year by kissing someone (even though it was just a kiss on the cheek), but it's also the first time a kiss has been followed with a talk about his sexuality.

"So earlier with Sam..." begins Gwen as the two of them sit in Peter's dorm room alone, the ball drop showing on his small tv across from his bed, the sound turned down low. They'd left the party shortly after, more at Gwen's insistence than Peter's, but he's glad that she made the decision for them.

Peter groans and hides his head in his hands, elbows propped on his legs as he sits cross-legged next to her. "I don't know, Gwen. I didn't even know his  _name_  before tonight, and before that I'd only seen him once before."

"At MJ's Christmas party?" He nods into his hands, and he feels her start to rub soothing circles into back. She's quiet for a moment before she says, "It's okay, you know...if you have feelings for Sam."

"I know, but..." Peter meets her eyes, and he's glad she's not smirking at him anymore. "I've never been attracted to a guy before, so that's a little weird, right? I should've been attracted to at least one other guy before now. It should be impossible to discover you're bi at twenty-one."

Gwen snorts, but doesn't stop rubbing his back. "I'm sure plenty of people have discovered far more complicated things about their sexualities far later in life, Peter. You're taking it far better than I did."

Peter's head slips out of his hands and he almost hits his head on the window sill next to him. "Wait,  _what_?"

She shrugs casually, pulling out her phone and tapping at it. "I spent a couple months after the first time I found myself attracted to a girl in strict denial, and I was seventeen." Gwen winces, pausing in her typing to add, "That's...actually when I started dating Flash."

"Whoa whoa  _whoa_ hold the fuck  _on_." Peter holds his hands out towards Gwen, palms out, and she keeps ignoring him for her phone. "You dated  _Flash Thompson_ to counteract being attracted to a girl?"

"Yeah, well, it seemed like the best option at the time, and he's not a bad guy, just of average intelligence." She sighs and puts her phone down. "Besides, the moment I came to terms with everything, I broke up with Flash and went after a girl on my mathletes team." _  
_

"What happened?"

"We kissed after a competition once, but not much more than that. She wasn't sure how she felt about the whole thing, and I wasn't going to push her." Gwen chuckles as she does something on her phone and then shows Peter a girl's Facebook page. "We're still friends and she's been liking a lot of my statuses recently, so we might get a second chance."

"And if you don't?"

"Then I continue looking for a guy or girl to date because not getting the girl from high school isn't the end of my romantic life." She turns to face Peter, taking his hands in hers and locking eyes with him. "Peter, my sweet, sweet friend, instead of worrying about why you haven't found a guy attractive until now is irrelevant. What you  _should_ be worrying about is how will we get Sam to think you're capable of human speech."

" _We_?"

"Did you think just because MJ isn't involved that you'd walk away from this without a matchmaker? Think again, Peter Parker."

Peter groans, leaning back on his bed so he could cover his face with his pillow, but he can't deny that his stomach doesn't feel as unsettled as it had and he's all the more grateful that Gwen is on his side.

\-----

The day after the party, when Peter's brushing his teeth, he realizes he had been too busy panicking over Sam talking to him to register whether his eyes were hazel or green. His rests his head against the mirror, toothbrush hanging from his mouth, and wonders when this became the question that keeps him awake at night.

\-----

It's the weekend before classes start back up and Gwen and Peter are hiding out at the little coffee shop just off campus, avoiding texts from Harry and Mary-Jane asking about what happened to them the night of the party and if 'something happened'. They've been talking about the upcoming Star Wars movie—they're both excited that it's happening but apprehensive nonetheless—when Gwen puts her coffee back down and folds her hands on the table, and Peter can all but smell the conversation subject about to change. "So, have you thought about what you want to do about Sam?"

Peter nearly chokes on his coffee. He takes the time to breathe for a bit before he answers, "I...uh, no."

She narrows her eyes at him. "Peter, I told that you needed to think about this."

"I've thought  _about_  him, I just haven't thought about what to  _do_  about him." His cheeks are a little pink for sure, and he wishes they were sitting outside so he could blame it on the wind.

Gwen sighs, shaking her head. "You are so lucky that you have me helping you out."

"Hey! I can do just fine on my own!"

"Your behavior the other night is calling bullshit." 

Peter flips her off as he takes a drink instead of replying; Gwen just laughs.

\-----

On Monday, when Gwen's looking over Peter's shoulder at his schedule, she asks, "Why are you taking Intro to Astronomy? Haven't you already taken your gen ed science?"

"Yeah I took chemistry, but that doesn't mean I can't take another science for fun," explains Peter, focusing on his phone.

"Yeah, of course, it's fine, just—" She trails off, and when Peter finally looks back at her, she shakes her head and smiles. "No, it's nothing. I'm just glad you're taking the time to take an elective."

He narrows his eyes at her, shifting his backpack straps before saying, "I'm going to go to organic chem now."

"Okay, go. I'll see you later." Her smile follows him until he's too far away to see her anymore, and even then he has a feeling in his stomach that she knows something he doesn't.

\-----

The first day of Peter's astronomy class, it's all he can do not to turn around and walk back to his dorm because sitting in the back of the class, talking to the person next to him, is none other than Mr. Hazel-or-Green, Sam Alexander himself.

"Hey, Peter!" Sam calls out to him, and as Peter hesitates in the doorway, he feels his chance for escape rapidly slipping away from him. "Come sit back here!"

Walking to the back of the classroom takes only a few seconds, but to Peter it seems like hours pass. When he finally sits down at the desk to the right of Sam, he's positive that his heart is beating loud enough that everyone in his vicinity can hear it, they're just ignoring it in an effort to help him save face.

"Gwen mentioned that you'd be in this class, so I've been saving that seat for you."

Peter takes a deep breath and promises to himself that he'll leave Gwen a strongly worded voicemail after class. "Thanks, that's nice of you. I guess she forgot to tell me that I'd know anyone in this class when I told her I was taking it."

"She probably got distracted with her own first days of classes. I just happened to run into her at the library yesterday." Peter begins tapping the table in agitation. He definitely saw her the previous night when they went out for Chinese _after_ she left the library.

"Yeah, probably."

Peter falls silent, having absolutely  _no idea_  what to say since he didn't get a chance to prepare himself for even seeing Sam today, let alone talking to him. Sam doesn't seem to mind though, and after smiling at him, turns back to the person on his other side, who Sam seems to have met elsewhere. He thinks that maybe, just maybe, he can make it until the professor arrives without having to embarrass himself further, but today is not looking like his lucky day.

"So, how've you been since MJ's party?" Sam apparently has no more catching up to do with the other person, and Peter really wants to kill Gwen.

"I've been good. Mostly just hanging out with Gwen while my best friend temporarily forgets about me due to his girlfriend." He breathes out slowly, forcing himself to meet Sam's eyes head on. "You?"

"Besides the usual prepping for the semester crap, I've really just been watching tv with my roommates, so good."

His mouth is open, ready to continue the small talk and ask about what they'd been watching, when the professor finally walks in, almost five minutes late. Peter's relieved to be silenced and put out of his misery, but a small part of him can't help but be frustrated at getting interrupted from learning more about Sam.

As the syllabus gets passed around, Peter wants to slam his head on his desk when he realizes that he looked straight into Sam's eyes and _still_  doesn't remember the color.

\-----

"I'm going to murder you," is the first thing Peter says to Gwen when she picks up the phone after he leaves his astronomy class.

"My day has been great so far, thanks for asking; how's yours been?"

"I can't  _believe_  you didn't tell me that Sam is in my astronomy class!"

Gwen lets out a soft gasp, and Peter rolls his eyes at her. "Oh dear, did I forget to tell you? It must have slipped my mind."

" _Gwen_."

"I'm not sorry that I tried to give you a chance to form a connection with Sam on your own." She pauses. "Wait, you didn't say anything stupid did you?"

"No, I don't think so. I hardly said anything really."

"Probably for the best. Want to meet me for coffee at the usual place on Friday?"

"Fine, but you're buying."

"Someone is going to be buying your coffee, yes."

Peter starts to ask her what the hell  _that_  means, but Gwen's already hung up, leaving him staring at his phone in the middle of the quad.

\-----

The first thing Peter notices when he walks into the coffee shop is Gwen's laughter, which leads to the second thing he notices—Sam Alexander is the one who made her laugh.

"Peter!" Gwen sees him first, and she must see the panic and anger in his eyes because she hurriedly stands up to meet him by the door.

"Gwen..."

"Don't act like you didn't see this coming because I totally already mentioned this might happen back at the New Year's Eve party, okay? He's just here to hang out, nothing more than that."

Peter wants to argue, but then he peeks around her and sees Sam sitting in a chair, drinking his coffee, and trying to look like he's not watching them. He faces Gwen again. "Fine, but you still totally owe me for potentially humiliating me twice in one week."

" _Or_ , you could maybe owe me depending on how this goes." She boops his nose before spinning around, grabbing Peter's hand, and dragging him over to where Sam is waiting.

"Everything okay?" asks Sam, looking back and forth between Gwen, who's already sitting again, and Peter, who is still standing.

"Fine," Peter repeats before Gwen can say anything. He smiles at Sam, even though he's pretty sure his insides are disintegrating. "Everything's fine. I'm just going to get some coffee and then I'll be right back."

Sam basically jumps to his feet. "Let me get that for you! I feel bad since I'm starting to think you didn't know I was going to be here."

It takes a lot for Peter not to gape at him. "Well, no I didn't, but it's fine, really. I can get my own coffee. It's not a big deal, I promise."

"Peter," says Sam as he steps a little bit closer, one hand reaching back to his back pocket and presumably his wallet while the other tentatively rests on Peter's wrist, like he's scared it'll be pushed away, "I know it's not a big deal, but I  _want_ to anyway."

He glances down at Gwen, who's busy pretending to not watch them and grinning, before he meets Sam's eyes—which are _blue_ , apparently—and stammers, "O-Okay then." **  
**

"Awesome." Sam's smile does funny things to Peter's stomach, but for once he thinks it might be a good thing. "So what do you want then?"

Peter's silent for a moment before he shakes his head and replies, "Uh, a peppermint mocha."

"Got it; be right back." He walks off to order Peter's coffee, while Peter numbly sits down in the chair next to Gwen.

"I told you that someone would be buying your coffee."

He turns to look at her, his head cocked slightly to the side. "How...could you  _possibly_  have known that?"

She gives him an expression he can't quite decipher, but he's pretty sure she's pitying him. "Peter, you really don't have a clue, do you?"

"Okay what does  _that_ mean?!"

"It means that you're somehow one of the smartest people I know, yet at the same time completely oblivious."

Peter opens his mouth to ask her what the hell she was implying, but that's when Sam pops back up, Peter's drink in his hand. Their fingers brush as Sam gives him the cup, and Peter quickly takes a sip, not caring that it definitely burns his tongue so that he can't even taste it properly now. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Sam settles back into his seat, his eyes firmly on Peter now, and Peter can't believe he thought they could be anything other than blue. "So Gwen tells me that you're a chemical engineering major?"

"Uh, yeah, I am." Peter glances at her, but she's focused on her phone.

Sam inches forward in his chair, elbows resting on his knees. "No offense, but why are you in an astronomy class then?"

"I had some elective credits I need to use up, so I figured I'd take a science because I've never been good at English or History." He takes another drink from his coffee, letting the warmth of it soothe his nerves. "What's your major, Sam?"

"Physics, with a minor is astronomy."

Peter raises an eyebrow at that. "Shouldn't you have already taken the intro class then?"

"I have, a few semesters ago, but you have to be enrolled in the class in order to be the Student Instructor." Sam seems to be embarrassed by this fact, but Peter can't see why since that means he really cares about the subject.

"Oh, so if I have trouble with the physics part of the class, I can turn to you?"

Both Sam and Gwen laugh this time. Gwen catches her breath first. "Sam is absolute  _shit_ at physics, so you're still better off asking the teacher or me for help."

"But I thought you—"

"Were a physics major?" Sam shakes his head and picks up his coffee cup again. "Yeah, I know. It's kind of how I met Gwen—she was, well  _is_ , my physics tutor."

Now Peter looks at Gwen in confusion. "But—"

"I'm a biochem major, yes, but I take physics courses in my spare time." Gwen rolls her eyes at Peter's incredulous face. "I find physics helps me clear my mind, okay? My advisor said I should probably pick up a minor or a second major in it just to make use of all the courses I've taken."

Peter snorts, but really isn't that surprised. "So why are you a physics major, Sam, if you suck at it?"

Sam sighs and settles back into his chair. "It's the space part I enjoy, but Empire State doesn't offer an astronomy major. Since physics is really important to astronomy anyway, I figured I'd major in that for undergrad, which will help me out when I get to grad school." He shrugs, like he's not even concerned about the fact he's not actually good at his major, as if his pure love for all things space and other worldly will carry him onward. Peter admires him for that nonchalance, but envies him at the same time.

"Enough school," begins Gwen, crossing her legs, "Let's talk about Breaking Bad because it makes Peter angry."

He rolls his eyes, but he's smiling because, even though he does hate it when Gwen brings up the show, Sam is grinning and Peter can't seem to bring himself to get upset.

\-----

They don't leave the coffee shop until it's already dark. Gwen parts from them as soon as they exit because her apartment is a couple subway stops from campus. She waves goodbye at she walks away, and Peter's waving back, his stomach feeling like there's a hurricane brewing in there. When there's no point in pretending to still see Gwen anymore, the cold wind causing even more chills to run down Peter's spine, he turns to face Sam, who has already stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets to protect them from the cold.

A million things are running through Peter's mind, yet none of them are good enough to say or ask. He wants to start a conversation while they walk—hell, he'd like to  _start_ walking—about something casual and neutral like the genre of sci-fi or cafeteria food, but what comes out is, "Why did you buy my coffee _really_?"

Sam blinks, and in the semi-lit streets of New York City, his eyes get that hazel or green quality back to them. Neither of them say anything—Peter shifting nervously as he waits, and Sam apparently unsure how to give his answer. Eventually Sam ducks his head, breaking his eye contact with Peter. He replies as he watches his shoes. "Have I really been that ambiguous, or are you actually as oblivious as Gwen says?"

"I'm..." Peter stalls, Sam glancing up at him, a soft smile on his face. He blushes because that smile reminds him of the night he first saw Sam, and he remembers the feeling he'd been pretty certain of then and sees no real reason why it's not the same. "I'm not sure, how about you enlighten me? You know, just to be sure we're on the same page."

They step closer to each other at the same time, like they'd planned it. Sam's grinning and so is Peter, and the silence stretches between them for a few seconds before Sam says, "I bought your coffee because I'm interested in you, Peter."

Their breaths mingle between them, even though Peter is almost certain he's actually stopped. He barely even hears himself whisper, "I think I'm interested in you too."

"That's a start." Sam hasn't stopped smiling at him, and Peter really doesn't know if his cheeks are turning pink because of the wind or because he can't remember the last time someone gave him this kind of undivided attention. He makes a move to take Peter's hand, his own hovering a few centimeters away. "Wanna walk back to campus before we get frostbite?"

Peter takes Sam's bare hand in his gloved own. "Let's get moving."

\-----

The next night sees Sam and Peter on their first date because both of them figured they deserved it after surviving the first week of the new semester.

"It's good to know that you're as graceful as you're oblivious," comments Sam as he helps Peter keep his balance as they skate around at Rockefeller Center.

Peter glares at him, but can't stop smiling. "If you weren't holding me up right now, I'd knock you on your ass."

Sam laughs, pulling Peter along with him as they glide off the rink. "Play nice and I'll buy you a hot chocolate."

"No, nuh-uh, no way." Peter stumbles a bit as he gets off the ice, grabbing the wall and Sam to steady himself. " _I'm_ buying us hot chocolate. It's  _my_ turn."

"That's fine by me, Parker."

They take off the skates and turn them back in, holding hands as they wait in line at the nearest hot chocolate vendor. It's almost their turn to order when Sam tugs on Peter's hand so they're facing each other. Peter opens his mouth to ask what's up, but Sam stops him by pressing a kiss to his mouth. It doesn't last long, but it's long enough that some of the people around them start cat-calling and the children let out a chorus of ew's.

Sam bows his head after he pulls away, his hand squeezing Peter's as if apologizing for the suddenness of it all. Peter just grins.

"You know what this means, right?" Sam looks back up, his face expressing a mixture of worry and hope. Peter starts swinging their hands between them as they move up in the line. "It means that I get to kiss  _you_ next."

That makes Sam snort, and Peter's glad to see him smiling again, all the worry gone from his expression. "Are you gonna keep track of whose turn it is forever?"

Peter shrugs, a smirk edging its way onto his face. "Only until I lose track."

Sam lets out a breathy laugh, licking his chapped lips against the cold air. Peter wants to kiss him again right then, but the vendor makes an impatient noise, signaling that they're finally next. He has to let go of Sam's hand in order to pay for their drinks and then to receive them.

"So where to now?" asks Sam before he takes a sip of his hot chocolate, both hands wrapped around his cup to absorb the warmth.

"I hear Times Square is pretty great."

"I'm not a native, but I've lived in New York City for almost four years, Peter. Let's go  _anywhere_ but there."

Peter can't help but laugh. "Good, I hate it there anyway.  _Way_ too many lights; you can see it from blocks away at night."

"Do you know if that coffee shop from yesterday is still open?"

With a glance at his watch, Peter registers that it's only 7:30; they'd only been out for an hour, though it felt like twice that at least. "They don't close for another few hours."

"Then let's get moving."

Sam takes his hand again, and together they make their way back to the nearest subway stop.

\-----

Gwen insists that Peter take Sam with him on the double date with Mary-Jane and Harry because if anything, the shock of it all will prove hilarious to watch. Peter only agrees when Sam does, and Gwen leaves them at the coffee shop with a reminder that it's at 8pm the following night.

Peter looks over at Sam when she's gone. "You really don't mind our second actual date being a double date?"

"And miss a chance to watch MJ's head explode?"

They laugh, and Peter leans over and kisses Sam briefly, lingering in Sam's space instead of reclining back into his chair so he can whisper, "Now it's your turn."

"You're such a loser, Parker."

"Takes one to know one, Alexander."

Sam closes the couple inches hanging between them and kisses Peter again, both of them trying not to smile into it too much.

"And  _now_ , it's _your_ turn."

Peter groans, resting back in his chair, but both of them end up laughing and neither can stop smiling.

\-----

He still isn't overly fond of Christmas, but Peter thinks that maybe—just _maybe_ —he could learn to love it again.


End file.
